Thursday, August 30, 2012

A Very Special Something, Plus Artwork

Good evening friends! After a few weeks of relentless, albeit mostly unintended teasing on my part (sorry everyone), here is the "special project" that I've been talking about for a while now. I can only hope that at this point, after all of the build-up leading to this that all of you aren't terribly disappointed as I probably would be (and wonder how this is so special after all), but either way it is about time I got this up so here it is!

So yes, a little bit of backstory is probably in order at this point! It all started a couple of months ago, when my dear friend, the celebrated Ponydora Prancypants contacted me regarding the upcoming Everfree Northwest convention, as he'd just found out that Tabitha St. Germain was going to be a guest and as such he decided to attend. He was wondering if I might be interested in doing likewise, and while I thought long and hard about it especially seeing as how I have family in Seattle as well, in the end decided it was probably in my best interests at this time not to go. Because of this, Ponydora (being the fabulous thoughtful person that he is) made the offer to take a Rarity artwork of my choosing in my stead so that he could get it autographed for me, an immensely generous offer which of course I was happy, and very grateful, to accept.

And of course, because I'm me I didn't think any old artwork would do, and I wanted to create something new and special for this event since I hoped to have an extra copy of the print made as a gift for Tabitha herself. The result is the piece you see above, a simple portrait but one which I hoped would look nice framed should the illustrious miss St. Germain ever be inclined to do so, and as promised Ponydora was able to get a copy autographed for me (and by Kazumi Evans, the singing voice of Rarity as well as she was also in attendance!) and also gifted her with her own copy which I am told she enjoyed. I truly hope so, since she seems like a wonderful human being whose spirit and talents I greatly admire, and even though she doubtless has met and heard from many fans, and received many such gifts in the past I wanted her to know that she has one more admiring fan in me, at least.

So this is it. The end result painting, printed on beautiful glossy paper (it's quite large too, measuring approximately 12x14") and signed by two amazing and talented ladies whom I greatly admire. I intend to get it framed and matted as soon as I'm feeling better. And of course, if it isn't entirely obvious already our own dear Ponydora Prancypants is a soul worthy of praise and admiration as well, as he was incredibly thoughtful and selfless in doing such a wonderful thing for me, and I'm entirely grateful to him for all the trouble he went through for this and me. Thank you so very much my dear, you are an absolute treasure! **stifling digital hugs**

So yes, that's all everyone! Hopefully you all enjoy the new artwork well enough, a straightforward enough piece though it is, until I get my next work (Commission #10) up following shortly. The full-sized version should be available to view and download on deviantART shortly (EDIT: and yes I forgot about it until way after the fact, but at last here it is). And oh yes, if you all needed even further proof that Ponydora is a dear than look no further than this photo of another little gift he sent me (some time ago actually, and I just kept forgetting to post it until now ^_^;;), modeled contentedly by Grace (who really does look uncommonly fat and smug in this picture doesn't she? Oh dear...)

60
comments:

Well, now that is something special indeed! It's a gorgeous portrait of Rarity, and a wonderful gift for a wonderful actress. I'm sure she was delighted! You've captured the most entertaining pony in all of her glamorous fabulousness indeed. I love the shine you given her hair, the flow of it as she gives it a twirl and bounce of movement, the flecks of light all around her, the slight blush on her cheeks as her picture is captured... Mostly I love the completely sweet expression you've given her. She's not taking her beauty for granted with any kind of slight, smug smile... she just looks thoroughly happy.

I have no idea why, but my initial reaction was that this image would make an outstanding trading card image... perhaps its the dimensions, or the high gloss finish of the printed version. It's odd, especially since I don't collect any such things, but still...

Did Tabitha St. Germain compliment you on your magnificent taste? That's too perfect! I can't make out what Ms. Evans wrote, but what a treat to have it signed by both of them. I love Rarity's voice acting and singing so much... I truly believe she got the best of the best in those regards.

That Ponydora is something special. Oh... and it's a damn fine pillow he sent you too. It looks like everyone made out beautifully from his trip!

Oh, yay, I'm so happy you think so about Rarity's expression in this picture because that was exactly what I was going for! Not smug, nor coy, nor especially flirtatious or anything like that, just happy. Because *I* was nothing but happy to know that I was creating a gift for Tabitha when I was working on this, and indeed knowing that she was one of the first people ever to see it really warms my heart. Ponydora did say that she enjoyed it very much as I mentioned, and yes she did call me a "woman of magnificent taste" there with her signature. Coming from her, that must surely be the compliment to end all compliments. ^_~

Anyway, I'm so very glad that you like the picture and I thank you for the praise as always, of course... I genuinely was worried that after all that inadvertent hype, you all (and especially you, since I know you had a good inkling of what it was) would be disappointed by the reality of the piece. So anyhow yes, much appreciated! And oh, as for Kazumi's notes they say only "Thanks for watching", but still that's more than I ever would have asked for of course, and as I said I am immensely grateful (to everyone, and for everything).

An outstanding trading card image, hmm? I can't profess to know much about such things myself, but still I'm flattered that you seem to think so. Thank you dearest!

Oh, yes, that is a valid point as she obviously voices Luna as well, but I suppose on that note it could be asked why I didn't include Granny Smith (etc.) either. But of course she's best known for Rarity, both by myself and the fandom, and besides that the most fabulous unicorn just so happens to be favorite pony as you all already know, so I'm guilty of shamelessly paying her more attention than most of the other ponies with my artworks. ^_~

I don't have much time to comment on this piece tonight, since it's 1:21 as I type this message and the charging cable on the laptop that I use is broken (a new one is currently being shipped), but I will take what time I have to say that, of course, a WhiteDiamonds painting never disappoints. Rarity seems to be making the most of her attendance at the convention, as all eyes and ears are on voice actresses like Tabitha. Her cheer is clearly showing, as she enjoys her moment in the spotlight, meeting her fellow artists and fans. The sparkles emphasize the perfection of her appearance. I like how the shine on the signed print is strategically placed over your name. There is no other way to say it; your softly shaded painting style is lovely and elegant on Rarity. Her eyes are reminiscent of your last drawing in their realism.

It's great to hear that you are now the proud owner of your favorite voice actresses' signature. It could not have happened for someone more deserving. We are all so very grateful for all that you give to us, and I am sure we are glad to see that you have finally been repaid in this way. I will return to add more tomorrow, but I want to be sure to say that your art, no matter at what time, and in what form, is always extremely welcomed, appreciated and enjoyed. You could never disappoint us.

I'm delighted to see this here. It's a beautiful artwork of a beautiful, happy creature, and bound to bring smiles to anyone.

I completely agree with Harwick that this would make a lovely trading card image for a slightly more elegant and glamorous line of pony trading cards. If you feel inclined to do a series of these, I'm sure they would take off!

One reason I wanted to make sure to get Ms. Evans' signature as well as Ms. St. Germain's is that you and Harwick have both said that "Art of the Dress" (and the episode in which it was featured) played a prominent role in enticing you into the fandom. Not only that, but she was very appreciate of fans who came by to greet her.

Finally, of course, you ARE a woman of magnificent taste, and a wonderful friend, and I was delighted to share your artwork with Tabitha, a lovely, talented woman in her own right.

P.S. Cathy Weseluck also said this artwork was fabulous, so someone should send her a glamorous portrait of Mayor Mare sometime. ;)

Ah well dear, thank you so very much for the lovely words, you are always so sweet and lovely you know! I'm happy that you all weren't disappointed; I just felt that after all of this build up (most of which, again, wasn't intentional!) people might have been expecting something truly EPIC, as far as artwork or such goes, you know (because obviously, knowing that Rarity's actresses got to see this artwork and that both signed it is a pretty epic fact for me personally). I didn't mean that I thought you might not like it, or at least I certainly hoped not, I was just worried that people might have been expecting something more at this point.

I'm glad you like the sparkles in the picture as well! They were sort of a last-minute addition, but I got the idea and thought it would work really well for what I was aiming for here. Oh yes and her eyes, of course, I always appreciate eye compliments very much. As for my name yes, there were shine marks all over the right-hand side of the print in that photo (I took it facing the sliding glass door to the backyard for lighting, and it was a very overcast day today) which did help to obscure my name I suppose, though also most of Kazumi's message and signature, ah well. Not that it really needed this anyway as I think my name is difficult enough to make out in the ladies' writing as-is (it's quite uncommon as well, as you already know, probably making it harder for most people to decipher), but yes I decided to go with this photo instead of taking another clearer shot as I figured it's better to be on the safer side when it comes to online privacy matters anyway.

Anyhow. Thanks so very much again for the lovely words, and don't worry about needing to say more tomorrow... or at least, don't feel obligated to elaborate further I suppose is what I should say. Everyone seems to like it so far (and on tumblr as well, as has been brought to my attention!) so that's more than good enough for me!

Oh, and there he is, the fabulous man of the hour! ^.^ You already know how I feel about all of this AND you, as I think I've told you via email enough times (if indeed the above blog post doesn't state it), but once again THANK YOU so very much! <3 You really did something wonderful for me darling, but even more than that you made it possible for me to give Tabitha a small token of my appreciation, through you, and for me that really does mean the whole world. I wish I could have been there too, but as long as she truly enjoyed the picture then I'm entirely content.

And oh yes, Cathy Weseluck too! You did mention that via email and I nearly forgot about it, but of course I'm very happy that she liked it as well... she is a wonderful and talented woman in her own right (and I suppose, if nothing else I really should try drawing my first-ever Spike fanart as a thank-you sometime). Regarding Kazumi you are absolutely right; "Suited For Success" specifically (and "Art of the Dress" to a large extent) were indeed what secured me as a pony-fan to begin with, so I decidedly do owe her a substantial amount of gratitude and appreciation.

Thank you so very much again dear (and Grace sends her regards as well)~! ^_~

When I saw a similar thing happen with WizardWannabe on deviantART I kind of expected something like this to happen...but I won't deny that it's a wonderful thing! Ponydora obviously does have (I quote) Rarity-tier generousity, and it was really nice of him to do this for his friends. Not to mention I'm reaaaally envious! ^^;

And I agree with Harwick on this picture being a good candidate for a trading card picture...I've seen a bunch of Pokemon cards in the past and the style of this picture could very easily fit. I really like the blurry white specks scattered around Rarity, they remind me of snowflakes drifting gently. I also enjoy the slight pinkish tinge you've given her cheeks; she seems to blushing as a result of the cold as opposed to embarrassment. Her head is tilted ever so slightly to give her that elegant, feminine look (In other words, Tabitha could not have picked a finer choice of words =D).

Also, that is one comfy-looking pillow/cushion. It's no surprise that Grace has no problems getting all intimate with it~! ^^

PS: Nice touch with the glare covering your name. I try my best to conceal my own name myself, but a few people may have let it slip once or twice on dA...can't be too careful with piracy these days.

I absolutely love this! omgah pretty pretty Rarity -collapses-(Oops, still feeling a bit giddy after the end of Oklahoma. It will be missed. No more rehearsals, no more costume, no more girls, no more bad English...)

On a side, you receive all of my jelly for that. Ponydora is awesome Element of Generosity. (and fanfic writer, too (chapter 24 aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa))

Oh... what a lovely thing to wake up this morning to find, and a lovely story behind it as well c: So this is the great big secret surprise! I'll be the first to confess that the hype did leave me with greater expectations... but who could be disappointed with this? :P No one here, I'm sure.

On Rarity first, she's really very beautiful. She is probably the most shiny and gorgeous Pony you've drawn to date, unless something I should be remembering is slipping my mind. It isn't just the quality of the image itself, but also her expression. It's such a sincere smile, without taint or intent, not even a bit of harmless playfulness. She's just happy in the sweetest way. It is a smile we all wish we could wear at times, I'm sure. And that little pink in her cheeks (which I admit, I completely missed until Harwick and Scrolls mentioned it) pretty much completes the already complete image... and oh, I love the background too, yes. The sparkly bubbly nature of it is very complementing without trying too hard to be at the front of the picture. It is there to support and support it is doing.

On the story behind this piece, that's really touching :< Ponydora is an awesome person to have done that for you, and I can only pretend to imagine the feelings of having a favourite voice actor or other person sign or admire something I'd done. Doing a gift art for a friend or someone respected is one thing, but this is something on a whole different level, isn't it? I'd probably stick the signature on my bedroom wall and proceed to stare at it for the remainder of the week... or at least until I needed to get something to eat, ahaha...

That tangent aside, it was really sweet of Ponydora to do that for you. It's too bad that you couldn't attend yourself, but somehow I think this makes it all the more special, you know? It warms the heart to read about it~

Randomly touching on the name thing, I suppose that's one thing I was never concerned with in regards to myself. I can always appreciate when people want to keep information about themselves off the Internet... but then sometimes you get silly people like me who just thrust things carelessly out there >~> Just one of those silly little things.

That was also so incredibly kind of Prancypants to get that signed for you! I'm happy he was able to get that for you. :D It's going to look so nice framed and displayed in your home!

I look forward to any new art in the future! It has a way to always brighten up my day whenever you, or anyone else here, releases new artwork. I'm lucky to know so many talented people. :)

I've been so bad at getting back to notes on DA this week with all the packing I've been doing. (And still have to do :dies:) I'll be moving in with Xyro on Sunday, and won't have our internet on until Wednesday, so hopefully then I'll be able to return to a normal internet life. :P

I'll also be going to Brony Fan Fair in Texas next weekend, if anyone is going! (It's a small con, so I doubt it :P) I'll be meeting some of the EQD staff, that I have gushed to about the fine artists we have here! So it should be a fun time. ^_^

Well, to be perfectly honest part of me almost thought better of posting anything about this because I really hated to come across as bragging about my good fortune, and I hope that this isn't so much the case. But I felt that Ponydora should be recognized for his thoughtfulness, and yes it was immensely kind of him to take the prints to Everfree for me in order to have one autographed and (mostly) to present one to Tabitha in my stead. For both, of course, I will always be entirely grateful.

Haha, what I thought was just something of an off-hand remark about trading cards initially now has been met with a surprising amount of support as an idea... perhaps I'm in the wrong line of work then, no? But I'm very happy that you like the artwork, and thank you for the lovely comments! The pinkish tinge on Rarity's cheeks was meant to be nothing more than a bit of natural color (perhaps a tiny bit of excitement added as well, I suppose) and I actually didn't think it was all that noticeable, but perhaps it shows up more on your monitors than it does mine, I can only guess. Oh yes, and as I said to Anon the glare in that shot was entirely convenient so I kept that one as opposed to taking a clearer photo... I think most of you here know my name anyway, but especially seeing as how it's so uncommon I guess it would be a bad thing for random internet strangers to be able to make it out. I guess I should be grateful it was a very cloudy day then!

Oh yes, and I almost forgot: regarding that pillow, it really is incredibly plush and cozy! Grace is happy to lay on anything of course, but she does seem particularly fond of snuggling against it whenever I leave it lying on my bedspread.

Oh yay, I'm so happy you like the artwork darling, thank you very much! And yes, Ponydora is a dear it's true, but now I feel somewhat badly again that I've posted about this amazing thing. You know what this means, don't you? I'm just going to have to go to a future Tabitha-attended convention and get autographs for everyone, all of you because you all equally deserve them! ^.^ <3

And wow, it's amazing that it's all over already, isn't it? All of that rehearsing and it doesn't seem like the actual performances went on for very long, but I guess that how such things often go. I hope you had a wonderful experience in any case, and took lots of photos for the memories!

Ahaha, see! I knew that some of you at least would feel that way, I just knew it! But as long as you're not disappointed at all (and I'll have to try and believe you there) then I'll be content enough.

I'm very happy that you like Rarity at least, thank you very much! Yes, this probably is the most detailed pony I've done to date (as far as technique goes), since I think the backgrounds in my other more involved paintings tend to command much of the focus, and obviously Rarity here is the star she's meant to be with nothing to compete for attention with her lovely visage. I've always wanted to do a detailed painted pony-portrait like this, and felt this was as good of an excuse as I'd probably ever get so yes, I am very very happy that everyone seems to like her. And all of the pretty sparkles in the picture as well, of course!

Ponydora truly is a rather amazing human being, yes... I've been lucky enough to consider him a friend for some months now (really, is that all? It already feels like ages!), and he is apparently just sweet and thoughtful and generous by nature. I really need to do something to repay the favor again at this point, even though I think it's pretty hard to compete with Tabitha St. Germaine/Kazumi Evans autographs, but still, if nothing else I think some homemade cookies of his favorite variety are in order for now (so yes, if you're reading this dear then please do prepare your mailbox!).

And hahaha yes, as I said I still need to get this print framed as soon as possible, and of course I wouldn't dream of sticking it on my wall until it is but once I've managed to do that, I probably will spend a considerable portion of my time just staring at it in joy. ^.^'

Oh, eep! Thank you so very much dear! I honestly think I'm blushing, and I must sincerely thank you for such glowing enthusiastic praise... really, it means a lot to me. Yes, Ponydora is wonderful, and yes I am incredibly excited to get this piece framed so that I can get it up... I'm also just so happy that everyone seems to like it! I know what you mean about our little group of friends because it seems there is always something new and wonderful being posted up by someone to admire... we really are quite lucky, and I'm grateful I've gotten to know all of you.

Oh, psh! Don't even worry about deviantART notes and such darling... we all know you've had your hands full recently! Packing is never a laughing matter as far as I'm concerned and as I said last time I don't envy you for having to worry about moving, but it's exciting (and should be a relief) to know that it will all soon be behind you. You'll have to let me know how everything's going once you're all nice and settled and comfortable again!

And oh no, most unfortunately I don't think I'll be attending Brony Fan Fair, but that sounds like it should be a fun experience and I hope you have a good time! I hope you will give my regards to the EqD staff. ^_^

Hello dear friend. As lovely as it was to do this, I hope you won't make me sound too generous and good! I just can't live up to those high expectations! I certainly enjoyed seeing Ms. St. Germain and the other voice actors, and attending the Everfree Northwest Convention, for selfish reasons as well as my other motivations. It was a real bonus, though, and gave me great joy, to show off your artwork and collect their signatures for you.

In other news, today was my last day at my previous job, and now I am soon to depart for the sunny beaches down toward your end of the state for the next chapter in the life of Prancypants. It should be interesting, very busy times over the next few days and weeks, but I'll still be hanging around here, of course!

In closing, one of the best things about WhiteDiamonds is not just that you are a delight, but that wonderful people from all over the world have been lured here by your adorable art, and your charming personality. I'm so glad to have met not just you, but Harwick, Scrolls, Kate, zhoomcar, and all of the folks who frequent these parts.

If the world were full of good people like you all, it would be a wonderful place indeed. Until that happens, the best we can do is to do nice things as often as possible, and in the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln, "be excellent to each other, and pony on."

Oh, dear Goddess, that last line... I laughed out loud and then started hacking because I'm afraid my chest is rather full of sickness at the moment, ugh. It was worth it though. I don't care what you say anyhow darling, and I do admire your modesty of course but still, you really are a kind and thoughtful person, and you deserve to be celebrated and valued as such by your group of friends and all of the world, if I had my way. It's true you would have gone to Everfree and met Tabitha whether or not I had a print to gift to her and get autographed after all, and I realize that, but still you also went out of your way to do something very nice for me (and her) and naturally I am very grateful for that fact.

I know what you mean about the blog, though... if I've said it once, I've said it many times that I consider myself very fortunate to have met so many people over the past... well, it has been very nearly a year now. And many more to come, I sincerely hope. As for your move I've known about this of course and have expressed my excitement for you, but as with Katie I really hope that the packing and relocating experience itself isn't too unpleasant, and that you can give us some updates on how everything is going once you get a little more settled (or sooner if you like as you know I'm always happy to hear from you, but of course no pressure!). Also, I don't know if you read that little bit snuck into my reply to Rena or not, but I really do have full intention of sending you cookies as soon as you feel you're ready for them... you'll have to provide me with a new mailing address soon so I can send some your way. ^_^

Actually, when I think of a surprise project, what comes to mind is something out of the ordinary. Like fanfic illustrations, or a Muro collage, perhaps. A surprise that makes you happy is the greatest, most special surprise we could ask for. I will admit, though, I'm a bit surprised that you didn't ask for Ponydora to get Tara's signature on a portrait of Twilight for a certain other outstandingly talented artist in our company. (Not to say taht I wouldn't be thrilled to see our other main unicorn in such detail as well!) Ah well, maybe next year, eh?

I would have blurred or obscured that part of the photo if it were me, though I read it as "Tyrua". The internet is on to you now, Tyrua. Though, considering my ability to read cursive, it may as well be "Rumplestiltskin". (Revere my presence, for I am Tyrua; a wonder of magnificent tafk!)

The problem is that I haven't had the chance to leave the long comments that I'm used to because of the time, but I had also intended on leaving a response in the last entry. (I forgot to mention the $2,000 Joseco print, or the $50 expresso shot, or the $110 hug.) I have been gathering a list of links to things I had found while catching up on EQD with the intention of sharing them here at the blog, but since some of them pertain to Rarijack, I'm not sure if I should wait until the next entry for that. I guess I'm just asking how seriously you mean it when you say that commission #10 should come shortly.

Of course, I could also add remark on both of Prancypants' acts of generosity, but that is entirely obvious and I doubt I could say it better than anyone else here. And are you still being bothered by that cold, really? I hope you feel better before your next Y&R marathon comes along. That sounds like a total buzzkill.

Well, as I said I'm very happy to hear that you weren't disappointed by the reality of the project at all dear, and it's somewhat comforting to know that you at least would have been satisfied with something as silly as a muro collage (I may have to consider doing that someday, if only I can manage to find some or most of the pictures I've drawn over the months, since I think I've mostly saved those made by everyone else). As for Twilight and Tara's autograph, it may have occurred to me to ask and to create and buy a print for Harwick if only I'd known that Tara was going to be there, but honestly until I went to catch up with the VA panel on YouTube I had no idea that so many of the cast were scheduled to attend. I never looked into it you see, and for all I understood it was just Tabitha and Kazumi. My bad, I'm afraid. =(

It's a good thing that my name isn't "Tyrua" then, isn't it? Or else I suppose my overcast glare would have failed me. Anyway though, I have heard of that $2000 John Joseco print, but I have no idea what those other two things might be that you speak of... do tell me about the $50 espresso shot at least (they probably run about that price at Hawaiian Starbucks I'd imagine, or will in the very near future anyway). As for Rarijack, please do feel welcome to share whatever it is whenever it is you might like to, because even if my Commission #10 post was made tomorrow (it won't be, but just saying) it won't have anything to do with Rarijack as you seemingly are thinking. It's a completely unrelated project, and while DicePony and I are still in contact and planning on working on his story together, he's been very busy with real-life projects recently so we're moving at a slow pace for now... I have no idea when you all might see any fanfiction illustrations out of me.

Oh and lastly yes, I am still sick. As I said in closing comments on the last thread my cold has actually progressed to a chest infection/bronchitis now, but I'm not sure if, overall, I don't actually feel better in general. And either way, nothing will dampen my enjoyment of Y&R; I'm looking forward to seeing if idiot Victor will finally suck it up and head back to Genoa City this week to bring the hurt down on that horrible, two-timing Sharon...

Pardon me, WhiteDiamonds, but do you think you could tone it down with your next artwork? I'm far too late for far too many things because I'm too busy sitting here staring at a gorgeously done picture of Rarity. It's rather vexing. Why must you be so good, anyway?

Well, while I'm sitting here, trapped, with my food burning in the oven and my cell phone ringing violently, I might as well make a post of it.

Crawling out on a limb, I think this is the best portrait you've done so far. Simply stunning. In fact that should be the title of this piece: "Stunning" for it both captures the quality of the art and the looks of the pony it features (though a reference to Shiropoint's excellent trailer PMV works just as well).

I think everyone else has already touched on just about every aspect of this picture, so if I'm going to be repetitive, I shall try to be brief: OMG WIN!

A little more detail?

I'll be praising the way you do eyes until my keyboard privileges are revoked. They are so lifelike and so, very, very expressive. In this picture they are sheer hypnotism.

I see Rarity is using her Glamorous spell again, or perhaps it's just the air's natural tendency to sparkle when the prettiest mare in all of Equestria is around. It really does add a fantastic touch to her visage and befits her perfectly. I also love the positioning of the light source. Excellent shine in just the right places.

It's nice to see a Rarity that is simply happy, nothing more, nothing less, as if she was having a wonderful day and right in the middle of it she just gave a quick turn and had her picture taken.

Attention back to the artist, I think it's positively wonderful that you've received some recognition from Ms. St. Germain and Ms. Evans, and something tangible to boot. You really, truly deserve it. That signed picture will be something to cherish for quite a many years. 'Tis also good to know you've added to the ever-growing pile of talent and appreciation this fandom has for the people behind the show (especially in this case, because seriously-- best voice actress). Had I been any of the other voice actresses and seen this piece handed over, I would have been quite jealous.

I do hope you get over your sickness soon. Having had bronchitis before, I know that it tends to not provide the best of company, though from the sound of it, perhaps it's decided to have manners for you. Here’s to hoping Sharon gets what she deserves.

More from you on the horizon (no matter how distant)? My anticipation, you have it.

(Now introducing new Fabulous™ cards! Found in 1:8 packs, each one features exclusive artwork from WhiteDiamonds!)

Find some or most of your muro drawings, you say? After extensive searching under rugs and through cavernous dungeons, I have retrieved a total of 15 muros (1 drawing short of a 4x4 gallery). If you'd like, I could upload them to Photobucket and post the links here, or I could email them to you in a zip file instead if you would prefer.

Oh, don't worry about that; I trust he will forgive you eventually. In all seriousness, the full-sized version of the painting really shows its true quality. This must be your most tangible Pony fanart you've ever shared with us. Her appearance (sparkles and all) give the impression that she could be ready for a photo shoot at any moment, but the lightheartedness of her expression is sincere. I'm sure I will have another chance to say so when I stop being so busy (it sounds better than "lazy") and elaborate in a dA comment, but you remain the most purely charming fanartist I have ever seen. And that's to say nothing of your personality. No artist could ever be as suitable to represent Rarity. I could go on for days about you, but please do keep it in mind that everything I have ever said about you in the past is still entirely the truth.

Among the common and anticipated items that were sold during the charity auction at Everfree Northwest, there were a few unexpected additions that became the most memorable. One of the items in the lineup was a coffee maker with Pinkie Pie painted on the side, and someone decided to brew a caffeinated beverage and see how much it would go for as an auction item. The audience was probably tired, and I was surprised that they only made one, but it reached 50 or 60 dollars. The rest of the audience was forced to watch the (oddly excited-looking) winner chug the small cup of coffee in dispair. Another one of these spontaneous auction items was a group hug with voice actors Lee Tockar, Peter New and Michelle Creber, who were providing some much-needed entertainment to the event. The winner of the hug (which was actually $105, now that I've checked) was Screwball, the co-host of Stay Brony My Friends. He really needed that moment on-screen after spending an entire featured interview practically hiding behind Dusty. They even had MandoPony on briefly to auction Michelle's torture device, with the bonus of using it on him. ("It cleared my sinuses in the worst way possible", haha.)

I've never had a chest infection or bronchitis (or known anyone who has), but its name at least makes it sound more serious than it apparently is... These colds must have come from your workplace in the studio. I'm a bit surprised that your employer is okay with an ill employee working in a public area, but this is just one of the things that come with the densely populated cities of southern California, I suppose. I will not ask about your possible freelance business, as I understand it's sort of private, but hopefully you won't have to worry about sickness when and if you start working at home. It goes without saying that I hope you already feel much better by the time you read this late reply.

Oh, and since I haven't had the chance to say so yet, there may be a good reason why "The Last Roundup" was not told from Applejack's perspective; it would be an episode about a main pony who travels alone to an area that seems relative to her character design, unfinished business causes her to write a letter to Ponyville to inform everyone that she won't be returning as soon as she was expected to, and she struggles to avoid explaining to the remaining five what was going on when they make a surprise visit. Do stop me when it starts to sound familiar.

Many of these interesting pictures actually came from the Artist Training Grounds. I enjoy browsing the ATG galleries because they remind me that not everyone can draw like the artists featured in drawfriends, though the entries were a bit disappointingly good. However, there was one. One who dared to stand against the imposing influence of artistic standards. He was known only as Paddy Grunsell. He brought peace, prosperity and self esteem to all the land with his inspirational expressionist illustrations. It has been so long since I last touched my tablet (despite the occasional attempt to make time for it), it would only make sense if I've forgotten anything I may have learned in the short time that I used it. I should be like Paddy. Let us all take a moment to honor this brave individual. (*gasp, yay*)

Others reminded me of our host, who may be the only person who will bother to read down this far. Here, we can see that Rarity has concluded to move to wherever assorted fruit might be considered an acceptable form of headwear. (Applejack had this to say: "We don't normally wear food.")

Derpy proves herself to be fluent in one of the ugliest languages I've ever seen. (Is that Visual BASIC? Microsoft Excel? Where is pony-Stroustrup when you need him?)

This next picture was a pretty big surprise, so I'm including it in case you (WD) didn't know about it already. When I saw this image, something seemed familiar about the pose of the legs. My suspicions were correct; it was made using WhiteDiamonds' chibi-ponies as a reference. The linework of the hair is almost identical. This Pinkie Pie in the series is similar as well. I see that they are being made into pins to be sold at conventions. I understand that "KinkiePied" is an R34 artist (perhaps you could tell by the name), and just yesterday, he was kind enough to reference her Twilight for this borderline drawing. Isn't that nice of him.

Another WhiteDiamonds-related note: When I saw this sketch compilation, it reminded me of the sketchdumps that she would make. (Look, they both include an inquisitive Pinkie and a teeth-bearing Twilight.) I have to admit, her ponies' eyelashes are fairly long...

The last link I have stored is a rather odd typographic PMV, but it was well-received, and gives focus to an underused character in PMVs (or anything, really). Her cutie mark dances with her, no less. I hope you like apples.

Oh, and by the way, I recently passed through (and listened to) days of EQD during which they covering BroNYCon. Every subsequent 40 minute interview with the show's voice talent and Lauren Faust was posted. From those, I have discovered more evidence to prove that you are, in fact, Rarity. As Lauren told of preproduction planning, and things that she changed because children might not understand them, she mentioned that Rarity's element was hard to place. She was originally the Element of Inspiration.

So. Now that my month of stressful crap that's kept me from all my beloved online hangouts is over:

The picture is gorgeous, but OHMYGODYOUGOTITSIGNED. I'm so sorry you didn't get to go do that in person. The line was apparently hours long, but my friends tell me the voice actors are the sweetest people, and they love fan art. They just love it.

Having read the bio St. Germaine provided for the convention, it is my intention to marry her. Not only does she have the kind of voice that makes men weep and beg to hear it every morning, noon, and night, but she has wit and a very large amount of whimsy. She was well chosen for the role of Rarity indeed.

But enough about me, let's talk about you some more. I saw the little statuette you got from Dustysculptures. It is so, so adorable. When I saw that you'd bought it, I squeed with the perfectness that you should own such a thing. Where did you mount it? How big is it? It must surely be very small, but it's amazing.

(And as you can see from the top, yes, this time I ACTUALLY DISAPPEARED. Editing troubles. Big, big editing troubles.)

Yes, traffic here is too light for the task of the dayAs time for the rhymes seems to slip quickly away.I've come here to mark my final releaseAs the clock turns to midnight and I'm finally at peace.

I appreciate your willingness to join in the funEven if the ending arrives when we've hardly begun.Your rhymes were impressive, in this I'm sincerebut still Thank God "Zecora Day" comes but once a year.

Well dear, I am sorry to hear that, but as I've said when this same subject has come up in the past this is something that's entirely your decision. If you don't want to post here anymore then I'm not going to ask you to, and though it does make me sad to see you go I realize you haven't been especially active here recently anyway, so perhaps in a way you've already moved on, I don't know...

Of course, as you already know (and despite what you've said here) you're always welcome to join in our discussions in the future if you like, or keep in contact via email. It's truly a shame that you deleted all of your posts too, but I guess that was your call to make.

I don't know what else to say to you about this, because it's not my place to tell you what you should do, but whatever you decide I certainly wish you the best, I hope you know! <3

Just stumbled my way here trough your lovely DeviantArt page, and I just wanted to say hello. I'm such a noob when it comes to blogs, but this looks like a very friendly place, so I'll make sure to keep an eye on this

Oh, and a sincere thank you to all you great artists who contributed to Applejack appreciation day. You never cease to amaze me with your talent ^^

Hello again, everyone, and sorry about yesterday! I meant to respond to everyone after Favo, since he'd contacted me privately and I knew this was very important to him, but then I got distracted by the horrible reality that is currently my deviantART inbox (I have set a new record in that some of messages are now nearly three weeks old, and to say nothing of my private notes ;_;) and, I forgot to come back and post my other replies to people. I truly am sorry about that, as normally I try not to leave anyone here hanging for too long here you know, but my mind is just a muddled mess recently... I haven't even managed to get Applejack posted up here yet, forgot even to edit in the deviantART link in the header blog post, and can't believe that the time has flown by as quickly as it has the past week, bleh~

Anyway though, all of my whining aside hello dearest! I always look forward to reading your comments you know, as you are incredibly lovely and entertaining all of the time, and not to mention far too kind to me (I sincerely hope your food didn't burn too badly!). I am so so happy that you like this picture, and that you picked up on exactly what I was going for with Rarity's expression and such here... it's just so gratifying to know that what I envisioned as the "backstory" or idea behind this little moment translated through to the viewer by how I executed it, apparently. I always do give a little extra attention to eyes of course but here I tried to spruce them up a little bit more thanks to the slightly more "realistic" style, and I'm happy you like the lighting as well; I've noticed that I seem to do my best work in that regard when I just loosen up and not really think about the subject at all!

Thank you also for the lovely sentiments about Tabitha and Miss Kazumi. I've always hoped I might be able to meet them, and the former especially but even though that wasn't the case this time around, this was obviously the next best thing. Ponydora really is lovely, and a peach indeed, and I'll always be grateful that thanks to him, Ms. St. Germaine knows she has one more very admiring fan somewhere out there in me!

As for my illness, finally and over a week later I'm feeling better, and I thank you for the well-wishes. It really wasn't too bad once I got past the bad cold part, but still, it's much nicer to be able to breath properly again of course. Oh yes and as for Sharon, she didn't get her full comeuppance yet (even though things have been a bit unpleasant for her recently, at least) but at least now I can't be so upset with Victor... it turns out he's been dealing with amnesia all this time so really, it's not his fault that he's been away for so long after all, who knew.

Thank you so much again for always being so lovely~ **digital hugs** I really do appreciate it!

Dearest, you are just too great sometimes, you know? Of course if anyone would have been able to find all of my muros (or what I imagine is most of them) it would be you, and I thank you most sincerely for putting in that kind of effort for my sake. In answer to your question, whatever you'd like to do is fine; I imagine emailing them might be easier, but that's entirely up to you... thank you so much again for the help in any case. <3

And of course, as always you're so full of constant praise! There is never enough that could be said about you and your incredible, never-faltering, ever-generous, and steadfast ongoing support that you've shown me all of these months (or well, it's been close to a year now really), you know. I truly appreciate it, and as I've said before if you ever do get around to creating a deviantART account and posting over there it would just be lovely, but there's never any rush or pressure of course. I know what it's like to be busy!

Thank you very much for all of the information about the auction and such! I heard a little bit from Ponydora as well, and all-in-all it sounds like it was a lot of fun to watch and I'm glad it was such a success. In regards to my sickness, as I said I've dealt with chest infections all of my life (I think I've mentioned here before how serious my asthma was as a child, and how I almost died from it more than once?) so for me they're not really any big deal; I avoid sugar and dairy the entire time I'm sick, drink liquids constantly, take plenty of super-steam showers, and all of that other good stuff... I have a routine I guess you could say. I really don't know if I caught something at the studio or not, but overall I don't think I've gotten sick that many times over the period I've worked there... also, it is open to the public true, but there are many other things that I do there besides just work with people and host events and such you know; there's also a lot of stocking and cleaning, we do some limited bisque manufacture as I've mentioned before, and then there are other tasks such as glazing and loading/unloading of kilns, that sort of thing which must be done on a constant basis. But anyway yes, I only had to call in sick one day and I guess that was a good thing.

Despite the fact that I've never said too much about the whole Artist's Training Grounds thing (and Harwick and I discussed this the last time we spoke on the phone) I think it's such a wonderful thing, and I really need to make more of an effort to show my support for the aspiring artists the next time around. Thank you sharing so many little tidbits with me (I love that drawing of Rarity with the fruit-hat and suitcase, those "real life" pony videos were oddly relaxing to watch, and more Rarijack, yay! <3), but as for that artist who so obviously used/repurposed my chibi-ponies in his pictures, I'm feeling very conflicted now and am honestly wondering if I should contact him asking him to cite me and the drawing for a reference at the very least. I think it's incredibly rude not to after all, but perhaps he assumed nobody would notice and so figured it was fine, I really don't know... still though, even though I'm unhappy about it I'm somewhat hesitant to actually do that (and in my experience, people ignore such requests as often as not) at risk of coming across as just obnoxious... I really don't know what to do, ugh...

Oh yes, and thank you very much for sharing that little bit of trivia about Rarity, too. Hearing that she was originally the Element of Inspiration just made my day, I really do think. <3

Darling, well hello! It's always such an unexpected pleasure to see you posting here, and I hope you know I appreciate each and every little comment that you ever see fit to share. First off, I must thank you very much for the kind words about the picture, and as for Tabitha it was disappointing that I didn't get to meet her this time around it's true, but I'm entirely confident that I will still do so at some point in the future, and yes as you said I was very fortunate to get a signed copy of the print courtesy of my dear friend. That, and hearing from him that she did indeed like it was one of the best things I could ever ask for, and I will always be grateful. <3

Secondly, in regards to that fabulous little Rarity sculpt I actually haven't gotten her home yet, I have to admit! You see, when dusty contacted me to make me an exclusive offer for her, he also threw in a little bust-statuette as well as a charm of some sort which, as of yet, hasn't actually been made, so it's a matter of waiting until every single piece is finished before he mails them all out together. I don't mind though, because I know that I'll love her when she does finally arrive and now I have the added bonus of anticipating some kind of cute miniature pony-charm (another Rarity or possibly even an Applejack, I'm imagining) so I'm willing to be patient. Thank you very much for the sweet sentiments though (and I'll be sure to take some photos once she and the others are home safe), I really appreciate it! <3

As for all of your editing business, that sounds unfortunate so I really am sorry to hear it. I certainly hope things have all been straightened out now!

Oh, dear, there's no need to apologize for anything. But once again, I really don't know what to say to you at this point. If you want to hang out here and post, whenever or as infrequently as you want to then of course you're free to do so, but if you want to leave (as seems to be the case) then I'm not going to ask you to stay because that would just be silly of me. It's not my place to tell you what to do after all, so whatever it is you want then do it I suppose. But you're always welcome here in the future, which I really hope you would already know.

Oh hey, well hello there and welcome to my little blog, dear! It's really lovely that you decided to stop by as I always enjoy your deviantART comments as well, and of course, it's lovely to be in the company of a fellow Applejack fan! ^_~ Thank you very much for all of the ongoing support and enthusiasm, and as for Applejack Appreciation Day I know that it really was my pleasure to be able to contribute to that. It would have been nice to have a little more time and advance notice true, but all-in-all I think it was a lovely turnout and that sweet pony honestly did deserve the attention... I'm very grateful for it.

Oh yes, and thank you very much for the compliments to Grace! I told her you said so and she looked unimpressed, so I gave her a pet for you instead and she seemed to return the sentiments much more enthusiastically. I hope you'll always feel welcome to post here whenever you like, we always do welcome new people to join into the conversations!

You know, if I may say so, I've often considered the magnitude of your social workload as far as deviantART goes and it seems like a very scary thing to me D: I'm at that point where masses of comments and activity messages on my art make me feel all warm inside, but the numbers don't hold even the slightest candle to what yours must be, and that thought is frightening to me. In your shoes, I suspect I'd start being afraid to upload art at all... especially when the numbers only seem to increase with each new art. Not to discredit Applejack in any fashion, but the fact that Last Pony's comments outperformed Soviet Rarity's (especially with the large presence of military enthusiasts) was honestly very surprising to me, and it makes me wonder how far this trend will keep going.

... Sorry, I must be giving you nightmares of the future .~. I just think you're very brave (and honestly, amazingly devoted) to have resolved to do your best in responding to everyone who has something to say. It's something of a rarity (hah!) for artists to go to such lengths with their audience, and with the sheer mass of messages you get, you'd be a shining gem (double hah!) among those rare cases.

I... I think I forget what my original point was, but as often, whatever I was saying devolved into praise, I think. I should probably get that checked, lest I travel the world telling everybody I encounter what makes them so great.

I'm going to be completely honest with you dear, sometimes I'm very afraid to upload things too. At the very least, it's gotten to the point that I try not to upload new art too frequently, and I always try to consider when I'll have free time/days off from work and so on so that I can be most efficient at managing comments. With my last picture, Applejack in her jacket, I actually didn't intend or even want to upload her on dA or here (until I had gotten through more of my comments on the Rarity portrait that is) but unfortunately, when you submit artwork to Equestria Daily you need to send it via a link and are not allowed to attack images. So, I had to put her somewhere and it was late and I was exhausted so I just... posted her anyway.

But anyhow yes! It is difficult sometimes, but I have no intention of making a habit of posting art this frequently in the future, so hopefully it should be alright. I do enjoy reading what people have to say at least, that much is very true. Like you, I was really amazed (and somewhat frightened) that my "Last Pony" picture received so many comments surpassing even Soviet Rarity, but now I think that was mostly because bronies seemed to find my opening comments to be thought- and discussion-provoking, and they responded accordingly. Certainly, in the future I'll try not to leave any descriptions that contain questions or imply I'd actually like thorough feedback on anything!

Oh yes, and before I forget to say it I enjoyed your cute puns, so thank you, and as always you're very sweet and supportive and it's really appreciated. If you had a cutie mark, I guess it would have to have something to do with making others feel great about themselves!

Oh dear, I really missed the last picture. But as I said, when you mentioned waiting for something from Everfree Northwest I had a feeling that it had something to do with the special guests attending (Nee-Hee-Hee), though I feel your pain in terms of never being able to attend these things. And I agree the the comments about this image being well suited for trading cards, especially a holographic one (not to mention both of her eyes are equally open....the image on both the standard card and the promotional version have one of Rarity's eyes be slightly more open than the other....(^.^') E-he-he)

...but I know that you have a life too (arguably much more than I do), and I wasn't sure if you would appreciate my making fun of it in that way.

I initially considered just emailing them to you without mentioning it, but I wasn't sure if you were still checking your email or not. I'm sure I've missed at least one; your first drawing with Muro was a simple fingerpainting of Rarity. I went through all of the comments on your profile since its creation (as well as Harwick and Prancypants', among others), but try as I might, I just couldn't find that one. You could say it was lost to the sands of time. I figure I'll leave that one for Indiana Jones. You are very welcome; I am always happy to be a help to you.

Now, you make it sound hard. For a blog devoted to the work of my favorite artist, and for the rewarding friendship I've gained from it (or I like to think I have, anyway), to express your unsurpassable kindness in words is the very least I can do. You're far too good to me, and that's a big part of what makes you so lovable. (I wish you wouldn't play favorites, though; I wanted a digital hug too. It's okay...I can go on without the true feeling of mutual appreciation.)

The only reason why I am not covering your page in adoration as we speak is that I wanted a deviantART account to serve a purpose if I made one, meaning that there should be a drawing for the gallery at its creation. I haven't made any sort of drawing yet because I've been so behind in the EQD archives ever since I spent a few straight months working nonstop. When I starting catching up, the comments were from "12 weeks ago". I think I started in June, looking at content from April. As time went by, I started to realize how long it would take to cover so much. Sometimes, my pace would slow and I would go backwards. After looking at what was taking up most of the time I was spending, I stopped watching PMVs altogether. These days, if I decide I don't like a song, or it goes on for longer than I have visual content (like drawfriends, comics and roundups) allocated for it, I skip through parts of it incrementally (about 20 seconds for every 3). Lately, I have making it through a week of content each day. And now, finally, I am almost done. Tomorrow will be the last day. I wonder if I will miss the days of constant pony art and background music, but I could always leave Equestria Daily for a few days I suppose. Of course, there is also the Spanish work that I try to do every day and the errors that I'm called in to fix on occasion, which can sometimes take days.

But I still enjoyed it for the most part, and I'm looking forward to having more time for drawing. I haven't touched my tablet since it arrived (because I knew it would mean another day of content to go over), so I'll be back to the beginning stage. (Not that I ever left it.) I have been gathering a mental list of artists who have recorded their livestreams and whose styles I would have interest in replicating (Tsitra360, Raikoh, Valcron and ponyKillerX). It is my intention to make extensive use of them. I think the method of following the steps that a master takes is more effective than spending years practicing on your own and just guessing at what you're doing wrong. (I might even switch to Photoshop, if I can find the Brush tool...)

I'm glad to hear that you feel better now at least, and your ailments seem to be under relative control these days. I think your immune system must be somewhat undependable, in that case. I don't think I've ever suffered from anything nearly as serious. (My worst problem may be how underdeveloped my muscles are. As it turns out, I weigh 106 pounds, which is considerably underweight. I guess that's not such a bad problem to have.) I somehow doubt I will be so fortune when I get older. Your routine sounds like how I would I would treat a headache, minus the hot showers...I've never enjoyed the feeling of showering, honestly.

I was browsing deviantART, and I came across two drawings that reminded me of your gallery for some reason. If you remember Karzahnii's "What Friendship is all about", you may have wondered what it would look like as a desktop background in its entirety. Wonder no longer. I have to wonder what anyone could need five monitors for, however. Do they work at The Pentagon? Oh, and this question is probably very personal, and you don't need to answer if you'd rather not, but I noticed the stamps that you briefly put up on your deviantART page. One of them caught my eye, and made me wonder about something. Are you Pagan? I've always wondered why you tend to say "goddess" instead of "god", but I just figured it was an expression of feminism or something similar, not a reference to an actual specific diety that you believe exists. Honestly, I didn't even know that there were still religions that involved faith in goddesses. I guess it would explain all of those references to the concept of reincarnation... Again, I hope I don't sound too pressing. Lastly, I found another interesting link: A partially off-screen man with a soothing voice and a French accent asks four questions about you and determines which typeface (text font) reflects your personality. I predict that you would choose "Emotional, Understated, Traditional, Disiplined", and you will very much appreciate the result. I think it fits, anyway. (It will ask for your name at the beginning, which doesn't have any effect on the results. You can put anything there. The scoreboard is already spammed with numbers and letters.) I got Courier, because I'm a square. To be fair, though, it doesn't specify what you are traditional or progressive about. Calculators were a positive progression from the abacus. Plastic furniture is not as much so.

Oh, don't even worry about it dear! You always comment on my pictures on deviantART after all, and it's not like I expect everyone to always leave replies both here and there (or even either place, really)... there's really no need for it unless people genuinely want to. But yes, even though I probably could have gone to Everfree if I'd really scrambled, for better or for worse I didn't this time, though I'm sure I'll have the chance to meet Tabitha at some point in the future.

Oh, those look like some great things that you found! I've seen the Rarity video before, but haven't seen or heard of the Applejack story yet, however it really sounds like something I'd enjoy. In the meantime, this story has also been brought to my attention via a SpeccySy fanart (now being used as the cover art), and though I haven't managed to read it yet I'm tempted to try drawing a fanart myself, just because those foals sound like they'd be so incredibly cute! ^.^'

Oh, I am glad that you didn't joke about that... I think it would have made me feel sad. I truly am sorry about forgetting to come back and post the rest of my replies (which were mostly all written; I try not to read comments until I know I can reply because I feel I forget much of what I'd like to say if I wait), but yes, my deviantART inbox is pretty awful right now and I think my blood pressure rises a little every time I look at it if I'm unable to really spend much time there. I had to try and make some sort of dent and then I become completely absorbed in the task... anyway, I'll try not to let it happen again.

Thank you so much for going through all the trouble of finding my muro artworks, once again! In a very fortunate coincidence, I think I do have the missing first drawing (the Starbucks, I believe) as it was one of the only ones that I ever saved, along with another that I drew for DicePony which you missed! Anyway it's much appreciated, and I might just have to try and do something with them all despite the poor quality of the early fingerpaintings. As for the hug sorry about that dear! I certainly didn't mean to show favoritism or make you feel as though you were excluded. But if it's any comfort to you, I do believe I've given you digital hugs before in the past, whereas I don't think I can say the same of Coconutswallow... I felt he was overdue for one (and also, on a marginally related note pouty Applejack is absolutely adorable, I have to say it).

I really don't know about my immune system... is asthma considered to be an immune problem, really? Because I didn't think it was. I know it tends to run in families (as mine did; neither of my parents ever had it though nearly all of my siblings did when they were younger, and my uncle to this day has terrible asthma) and many people tend to outgrow it as they get older, as I basically did. And I *do* know that in my case, it was made much worse by the fact that both of my parents smoked (and in the house, as people didn't really realize what a bad thing this was back then) when I was young, and also it turns out that I am pretty allergic to shellfish which we didn't realize until I was about 9 or so (and for a good part of my childhood, I adored and ate clam chowder with a fervor you probably wouldn't believe). So probably not an immune thing, though perhaps that exacerbates it, I don't know.

(Oh, right, and I can hardly believe you about the shower thing. I adore showers, especially hot steam showers with every fibre of my being; I spend forever in there if allowed and my family and friends all give me a hard time about how long it takes me to get ready to this day. I can't believe you don't love them too!)

My goodness, five monitors is pretty epic as they say, and I wish I had that many at my workstation even though I'd probably use for them for little other than surrounding myself with pretty scenes and artwork... thank you for sharing in any case, and those two Soviet Rarity-esque artworks as well. And ah yes, those stamps of mine... I came back on to deviantART to see that they'd disappeared (due to a bug or something I guess), and while I easily could put them up again maybe they cluttered up my page too much anyway, and to say nothing of the fact that they might get some people asking me questions as you have just done. But even though I might have preferred you not bring it up since the topic of religious is a very touchy one for many people (and amongst most adults at least, is usually considered to be something of a taboo subject in casual conversation), I will respond and the short answer is both no and yes. No, because I don't really "practice" any religion actively/consider myself to be particularly religious in my thinking, and I am actually quite agnostic in the sense that I'm not convinced there is any kind of afterlife of any kind or a actual God(s)/Goddess(es) watching over us. Even though I'd like to believe that there is/are on both counts, but sometimes I'll admit I have serious doubts.

But it's probably yes at the same time depending on your definition of the term ("pagan/neopagan" are both pretty loaded words which are good at upsetting/offending many people, and even if you're only using them strictly in the sense of revivalist/reconstructionalist/"new age" or earth-based religions such as Wicca, Druidism and native Shamanism), if I'm looking at it objectively. I've researched many different religions over the years, both in school and also on my own time as I've always found the subject fascinating, and I can't deny that many of the most widely-held beliefs are highly consistent with what I have intuitively always thought and felt, and long before I had ever even heard the word. Insofar as thinking of the universe as being wholly interconnected, and believing that everything is "alive" in the sense that all things are made up of the same tiny moving atoms and particles that are constantly interacting with each other (and can, as a result, influence each other to at least some extent) especially. I was raised thinking that way by my mother; I can remember her telling me from the time I was five years old that everything is made out of energy, that we and everything else are all connected and that what we do can profoundly affect others, that our "thoughts become things" and that we can make things happen in our lives by focusing on them enough so it's important to always remain positive (my "creative visualization" I do constantly as you might remember me mentioning before), and so on and on... even though I don't consider myself to be a religious person I would still say I am very spiritual, and this thinking makes sense to me on many levels. But yes, most of these things are also highly consistent with many neopagan beliefs so I suppose you could say that I am very sympathetic to pagan spirituality and what many in those circles might refer to as "magical thinking"... I guess I am a magical human then.

Oh right, and I completely forgot about the Goddess thing didn't I. Well first off, certainly there are still religions in this world that involve faith in Goddesses, even aside from many of the pagan/neopagan religions... Hinduism (the third-most widely practiced religion in the world) is one, even though there are different "denominations" of it and not all actually worship goddesses. But there are many others as well. And secondly, regarding me personally you're partially right about the "expression of feminism or something similar" thing, actually; to be completely honest I started saying "Goddess" years ago as something of a joke/form of self-expression I guess you could say and it just became a habit, but even though I do genuinely like the idea now that I know it can be perfectly valid I wouldn't say I necessarily believe she really exists either... this goes back to what I said earlier about me being somewhat agnostic. If nothing else though, I very much enjoy the idea of such an archetype.

Supposedly, entropy is a constant of the universe and existence - over time, space is cooling, everything is drifting apart, and in the end there will be nothing but vast empty desolution and nothingness. On the other hand, the universe conspired in the first instance to rebel against that inevitability, and somehow spring into existence and from cosmic dust form galaxies, stars, planets, and then the trees and flowers and birds and snakes and finally, people to write stories and create beautiful art, and people to appreciate it, and eventually you and me. As inevitable the one-way march of time and entropy may be, I do believe that there is nothing more beautiful and powerful than the human mind and spirit, and I do believe that there is something divine in all of us, who have after five billion years coalesced from starstuff to have our moment in the sun. Whatever anyone chooses to believe in terms of intelligences and powers beyond what we can perceive from our presently limited perspective, I think that what we can see, in each other and the world around us, is already miraculous. As one agglomeration of molecules to another, I am so lucky to know you, and to share in the wonder of being.

Oh, hello darling! **hugs** I always enjoy hearing from you you know, but at this time, and in regards to this subject especially it is lovely right now. It always amazes me how much the two of us have in common, as we discovered all those months ago when we first started talking! I'm glad you understand my mindset in any case, and yes, I do believe you summed it up perfectly... I may have misplaced my unicorn horn at just this moment (I'll find it eventually though; it's just hiding right now) but I still believe that we can all create everyday magic. <3

Oh no, Diamonds, really; don't ever think for a moment that you should be apologizing for the graciousness that you show to your fans. It's unfortunate that we have to share you with them, but it's only fair. You have many responsibilities, and this blog should not be a high priority. After all, we are only gathered here for our enjoyment. We cannot be so selfish as to put our own desires above your needs. It means the most to us that you look after yourself and enjoy the blog as much as we do. If anyone feels that they are more important than your work, your gallery, your sleep, or your life, then that person absolutely does not deserve any of your time. We will always eagerly await your return, as you are a joy to discuss ponies and have conversation with, but only as long as, after all burdens and worries are said and done, we have made you happy.

Oh, and while I was mostly joking about the hugs (mostly), it's okay. I accept your rejection. You can still have all of my digital hugs.

I wasn't thinking of asthma with that comment, but the chest infections that you mentioned you might get from colds. Because colds are contracted when a person is exposed to an infected person or area, and you are more susceptible to catching it if you have a weaker immune system, then more of those colds might progress into chest infections. I don't actually know what causes asthma, and I'm not sure I want to.

I have a slightly different idea for the best use of five screens: The most melodramatic game of Pong ever.

I understand that the subject is very personal, and not worth discussing for the arguments it could cause, but I wasn't really asking what your personal beliefs were on the subject. I was only reacting to certain mixed messages that seemed to suggest that you were a member of a certain theological group. I had only meant to clarify whether those things did suggest what they appeared to, and I was expecting more of a "yes or no" answer to it. The only reason why I felt it would be appropriate to ask was because it seemed like you were openly expressing it already. (Specifically, I thought you might have been named after Dianic Wicca, which was slightly worrying because, as I would later find out, the followers of that faith seem to believe that women are inherently superior to men. Not to mention I would suddenly understand why you've never watched "Friendship is Witchcraft".) I agree that we probably should not start a conversion about the subject, and it was never my intention to do so. I appreciate your willingness to clarify, but I wasn't expecting such an in-depth response. I'm sorry if I've mislead you, and I sincerely apologize if I've brought disarray to this blog. (I've actually brought it to mind multiple times since I asked it, and I'm not exaggurating when I say that my stomache has turned every time.) I didn't expect it to be taken that way, and I don't think that it's a subject fit for this place either.

While I don't think it's worth getting into a conversation about this (partly because I don't have a very interesting opinion on the matter), I will say that I think that being agnostic is probably for the best (in my opinion). Because nothing can be proven, nor disproven with current technology, and no one really knows for sure what happened prior to recorded history.

Regarding the Artist Training Grounds (because I forgot to mention it in my last comments), I like the idea, but I don't think it could ever help me personally because I'm sure that nothing I could make in a day would be satisfactory for the contest. Equestria Daily recently made a discussion post to ask for suggestions regarding what should be changed about the site. With the discussion that ensued, along with recent EQD posts, I have found that there are contests and events for more than just art. For fanfiction writing, there is the National Pony Writing Month. For game development, there is My Little Game Jam. (Only 48 hours to make everything you need for a game? I would prefer to be given a month or so with a few artists to work with, and then we could make a high quality game. With only 48 hours, all or most of those games are going to be simple platformers.)

The part that I was most interested in, though, was something called Toastbeard. (The site's favicon is this.) It's sort of like American Idol auditions for Pony musicians, except that everyone in the audience is a judge, and no one is ever eliminated. Coming from someone who only likes American Idol for the bad auditions, this was a dream true. Each week, the host writes a short theme and posts it to the Toastbeard compo list for anyone interested in participating to write a song (original or remixed) to follow that theme. At the end of the week, they host a live synced listen where all attendees (many of whom were entrants) can comment on the music in a live chat. There is even a voting button to "+1" or "-1" a song's score. I attended the last two days of Remix War, and it was all quite enjoyable. The practice and feedback must be helpful to the composers who are trying to improve. Or I assume so, from the perspective of my judging seat, imploring each entertainer that he get a job delivering pizzas and settle down. Unless they happen to remix a WoodenToaster song, in which case, "You're going to Canterlot."

I don't think I rejected you really... certainly I didn't mean to either time. I think I've expressed in the past that I very much value you as a person and all of the immense and ongoing interest and support you have always shown me, and that remains true.

And dear, yes, I realize that was really a yes or no question, but especially given the volatile nature of that word for many/most people, I found it impossible to answer as such either way or else ignore it without being somewhat dishonest and likely coming off as purposefully misleading, or else giving people the wrong idea about the truth. Which I do think is completely benign by the way, and I hope I have never given anyone reason to think differently about myself or what I may feel on the subject of spirituality before.

But yes, it's all much better left unsaid. I will add, however, that yes my middle name may be Diana, but that's a very common name you know and certainly I was not named after Dianic Wicca... my father is Catholic and my mother (despite her attitudes about life, reality and spirituality/religion, which I would probably sum up as "holistic") is also not a pagan and I seriously doubt they had the subject in mind when they named me.

And whoever would have guessed that I would someday inadvertently create a pony meme-face...

I know, of course you didn't really, I was only continuing the joke. And certainly I think nothing less of you for whatever your beliefs may be about that. You've made this year one of the best I've had in a long time, and I look forward to any more that I'll have with this blog in the future.

It was mainly the frustration of being made to wait on the most important part of the publishing process, where 'It will be in your email box when you wake up in the morning or definitely before the day is over' goes on for an entire month. Enormous amounts of stress and tension. Now all is beautiful, and even the cover art of the second book is ready! But for awhile there I was too stressed to know what to say to anybody. I would look at a beautiful piece of art from you on DA, open my soul, and all that would come out is 'DERP'.

I can't wait to see the other statuettes. You get the most beautiful Rarity toys in all of the fandom, and who could deserve them more? I would like to weigh in on the 'how much you post' topic. It's a terrible conundrum, because I want to see every single little sketch you draw, but it's damned near impossible to keep up with the fan mail.

We really do seem to be two peas in a pod, don't we? Who knows, maybe at some distant point in history part of the matter that constitutes each of us was part the same pea plant, or pineapple, or sea cucumber, or apatosaurus. There are all sorts of special magical connections one might dream up.

In any case, we really have found we have quite a lot in common, haven't we? We even share the same middle initial. :P

With all of the other discussion happening in this thread, I do wish I had something really clever and pointed to contribute. Alas, I am left with my old standby - jumbed gobbledygook and fuzzy sentiment.

So instead of being clever, I will just continue to lavish with praise my dear friend and apparent mystical fraternal twin (who got all the talent) WhiteDiamonds:

Sometimes, in all the talk about how and where you do, or should, or should not spend your valuable time and attention, what you have already done gets obscured, and I know I for one have forgotten lately to thank you for creating this place in the first instance. So thank you for making Ravishing Diamonds and thank you for welcoming me when I first poked my head in to see what it was all about!

Not only did you create this blog to share your artwork and communicate with your fans, but you created it as a safe place for many people who share a common interest to congregate and be "together," irrespective of what vast gulfs may divide them otherwise in terms of age, politcs, geography, religion, economics, or in my case, ability.

In our factious, embittered-seeming global society, these kinds of safe spaces are a rarity (pun intended), and very hard to create organically, given our inherently clannish nature. Even supposedly objective news websites have been claimed by ideological "sides."

You really did something remarkable, and laid the groundwork for connections and friendships which may (I hope) persist here, elsewhere and in the future. So not only are you an artist and a kind soul, but you are a diplomat and a community organizer.

With a resume like that, you really should think about running for President. You'd get my vote! :)

Or if not that, I'd still like to be drinking buddies someday. Any of you of legal age are welcome to join. I mix a mean Applejack.

My dearest, you are always such a delight to converse with, I hope you know that. And I'm so terribly sorry to hear that about your publishing worries because I know how stressful it is being left on pins and needles while you wait to hear back from people who can make or break you at any moment! It's wonderful that everything worked out in the end though, and I'm so happy that things are moving forward so smoothly with the second book... I can only hope that with any luck, I will manage to read it myself at some point in the future!

And thank you very much again for the Rarity sentiments. Dusty did have a photo of the bust and a filly-Rarity statue (which was not included in my little package) along with the larger figure you have seen somewhere in his deviantART sta.sh, but I'm not sure if it's still up there and I also don't know if it was really intended for public viewing (he shared it with me via private note when he made me an offer for all of the figures). Certainly though, I'll be happy to take photos when I have them home as I said, thank you.

Oh yes and lastly, I guess the easiest way to solve that problem, to the best of my ability is to post all of my little things here as I've tried to do in the past, and save only the bigger things for deviantART! Since that's really the place that I have a difficult time staying on top of things... sigh!

You really are such a sweetness you know... thank you so much for all of that. Even if you do praise me far more than I probably deserve already! But as far as the blog goes yes, I know we've all talked about it before at different points, but it really does amaze me just how remarkable it is that this place ever came together the way that it did. I know I frequently credit Jody and DJB123 (who has since moved on from here) for inspiring and encouraging me to ever create this blog to begin with, back when I was only mailing my hasty fanart submissions into Equestria Daily, but still, over time and thanks to all of you it has grown to be something much much more, and I'm very grateful for it. It's kind of like how I just posted on the other thread about DicePony and I getting to know one another simply because we're both devoted fans of the Rarijack pairing, and just how, through our talking about such things and the fanfiction he wrote, we got to know one another better over time and now have come to appreciate each other for far more than just ponies (or I can say that I do anyway). It's funny how something so simple can unite people, and how so many of us have become friends despite how different we are as you noted, but I think it's a wonderful thing and I wouldn't have it any other way.

So cheers to you, all of my fabulous friends, and thank you very much for helping to make this blog such a welcoming and wonderful place over the past year! Here's to many more, I hope.

Oh dear, don't even worry about it... I think you know by now how I'm frequently late in my commenting and replying as well, and as sorry as I am to have to say so! We've spoken at length on the matter at this point of course, but once again I'm just glad that you were presented with such fabulous opportunities and had such a great time... I can only imagine your experiences will open even more doors for you in the future. And as for the artwork, thank you very much as always for the lovely compliments! I'm so glad you like the portrait, and yes I can only hope that Tabitha did indeed enjoy it. It was absolutely my pleasure to create something for her as a token of my appreciation for all that she does. <3

Forgive me for poking my nose into it, but I don't think I get what we're supposed to be seeing in that comic :c It's probably something I don't know to understand in the first place, though, so I'm mostly just asserting my curiosity :o

Also this is probably a record for how late I am on/about any given thing. And I've apparently missed another blog post by a whole week. For once I'm the one who's become an occupied and busy bee x_x I know how you all feel now, methinks.